Edmund Burke was a British statesman, political thinker, and Parliamentary orator who was active in the major political issues occurring in Britain in 1785. He was part of the controversy between King George III and Parliament, who, he believed, were attempting to exert too much control over the executive. He argued that though the king's actions did not legally defy the constitution, they went against the constitution in spirit. Similarly, during the American imperial crisis, Burke argued that the British government's treatment of the colonies followed the letter of the law, but lacked consistency and respect for the colonies' claims.

As a Whig Parliamentarian, Burke supported Americans grievances against Great Britain, especially in the area of taxation. However, he criticized the French Revolution for being destructive to society.

Charles I was King of England from 1625 to 1649. He was perceived to be an absolute monarch, and fought against Oliver Cromwell's armies during the English Civil War from 1642 until he was captured and executed in 1649. Charles I

Henry VII was the first Tudor monarch. He defeated Richard III, a York king, at the Battle of Bosworth Field, ending the Wars of the Roses. Henry VII's claim to the throne came from his great-great-grandfather, Edward III, and he strengthened that claim by marrying Catherine of York, daughter of Edward IV. He seized the throne in 1485 and ruled until his death in 1509, when he was succeeded by his son, Henry VIII.

Henry VI of England ascended to the throne in 1422 at the age of nine months. He was a descendant of John, Duke of Lancaster, one of the sons of Edward III, and fought against his cousin Edward VI for the throne in the Wars of the Roses. He died in 1471.

Edward IV was a descendant of Edmund, First Duke of York, one of the sons of Edward III and ruled England from 1461 until his death in 1483. He fought against his cousin Henry VI for control of the English throne in the Wars of the Roses.

Also known as the Wars of the Roses. The House of York was represented by a white rose, and the House of Lancaster by a red rose.

This would later happen to George III, who suffered from mental illness later in his life. In 1810, a regency was established, and his son George, Prince of Wales (later George IV), ruled in his stead. George III in later life, engraving by Henry Meyer.

A minor can inherit the throne if they are the legitimate successor of the monarch. The English throne had been held by several minors, including Richard II, Edward V, Edward VI, and Lady Jane Grey. Having a minor on the throne meant the country was governed by a regent, and power struggles inevitably ensued. Richard II, who inherited the throne in 1377 at the age of 10.

William the Conquerer became king of England in 1066 and ruled until his death in 1087. He was the bastard son of Robert, Duke of Normandy, and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 to take the throne of England. William the Conqueror, as depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry

Eighteenth-century monarchs lived in palaces, surrounded by nobles and courtiers, rarely interacting with common people. The State Apartments at Windsor Castle

The king of England at this time was George III, who ruled from 1760 until his death in 1820.

In 1689, at the time of the Glorious Revolution, most other monarchs, particularly Louis XIV in France, ruled as absolute monarchs. Louis XIV, 1701

George III was 22 when he ascended to the throne in 1760.